The three Epistles of John, according to the author, are concerned with the fundamentals of Christian belief and life -- faith and love. The reader who grasps the message of these short but essential letters will have a sound basis in Christian doctrine. This group of Epistles is also a good starting point for the study of the Gospel of John. This important commentary was written not only so that students of the Bible might master the content of John's Epistles, but that they might come to a proper understanding of Johannine theology as a whole
Includes bibliographical references (pages xv-xvii) and indexes
The situation and character of 2 and 3 John -- The situation of 1 John -- The structure of 1 John -- Theories of rearrangement and redaction -- Relationships between the Johannine writings -- The authorship of the epistles -- The early history of the epistles in the church -- The thought of the epistles -- Address and greeting -- Living in truth and love -- Beware of false teaching -- Final words and greetings -- Address and greeting -- The writer praises Gaius -- The writer denounces Diotrephes -- The writer praises Demetrius -- Final words and greetings -- Prologue : the Word of life -- Walking in the light -- Keeping his commands -- The new status of believers and their relation to the world -- A warning against antichrists -- The hope of God's children -- The sinlessness of God's children -- Brotherly love as the mark of the Christian -- Assurance and obedience -- The Spirit of truth and falsehood -- God's love and our love -- Assurance and Christian love -- The true faith confirmed -- Christian certainties